ISLAMABAD: Teachers of the capital’s educational institutions have demanded the education ministry to revise the notification of timescale promotions with effect from the date of eligibility instead of the date of Departmental Promotion Committee’s (DPC) meeting.

The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training recentlynotified timescale promotion of over 600 teachers in light of the DPC meeting held on March 6.

Timescale promotion means teachers will avail benefits of the next grade without any change to their existing status.

Teachers of schools and colleges expressed concerns over the notification, saying their timescale promotion was due for years but they were given timescale promotion with effect from the date of the DPC meeting instead of the date when they became eligible for promotion.

In the past, teachers were given timescale promotion with effect from the eligibility date but this time their promotion was dated on the basis of the DPC meeting.

Say the new formula would deprive them of their legitimate financial benefits

Talking to Dawn, the educationists criticised the ministry for notifying timescale promotions with effect from March 5, 2020, instead of their eligibility date based on the length of their service.

“This is sheer violation of timescale formula which depicts that a BPS-18 teacher will get timescale of BPS-19 if he/she has seven-year service in BPS-18 or he/she has accrued total 12 years service in both BPS-17 and BPS-18. Similarly, a BPS-19 teacher can get a higher timescale of BPS-20 if he has served seven years in BPS-19 or has accumulated 19 years service in BPS-17, BPS-18 and in BPS-19. In the same way a BPS-20 teacher can be granted higher timescale of BPS-21 if he/she has served five years in BPS-20 or total 24 years in BPS-17 and above,” said an associate professor of Islamabad Model College for Girls, F-7/2.

She said it seemed strange that a teacher who became eligible for the next grade in 2014 was being treated in a similar pattern as the one who became eligible in 2019.

Another teacher at Islamabad Model College for Girls (Postgraduate) F-7/2 with over 28 years of teaching career also criticised the notification.

Prof Liaqat Ali, who retired after rendering over 29 years of service just a few days before the notification, was in a state of shock.

He said it was violation of the timescale formula and a huge loss for teachers who were eligible in 2013. Many of them have already retired, they and their families will not be able to benefit from their legitimate financial assistance.

Prof Tahir Mahmood, a representative of Federal Government College Teachers Association, drew attention of the authorities towards the previous notifications of the same formula in 2012 and 2014 which safeguarded the length of service according to the spirit of the timescale.

“With the recent notification, the entire meaning of timescale is misunderstood. What is this timescale which is negating the ‘time’ itself,” he said.

Mr Mahmood said teachers will file collective or individual cases in court, adding that the notification should be rectified.

Federal Government School Teachers Association President Malik Ameer also showed his concern, saying the association will decide the next course of action after consulting with teachers.

When contacted, Joint Secretary Education Syed Umair Javed, who was also member of the DPC, said the education ministry wanted to give timescales in accordance with the date of eligibility but the finance ministry did not approve the proposal.

He said timescale promotion of grade 18, 19 and 20 had been notified while that of grade 17 will be taken up by the DPC soon.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2020